Current CBR News
The CBR is heading to the Navajo Nation’s Dean C.Jackson Arena on Tuesday, September 4th for the 2nd Annual Navajo Nation Championship Bull Riding that takes place during the weeklong Navajo Nation celebration and Fair.Bonner Bolton of Gardendale, Texas, last year’s winner, will be there to defend his title along with some of this country’s top bull riders. You can bet there will be entrants from the Navajo nation along with the regular CBR and PRCA riders who rank among the top competitors. PRCA World Champion Cody Hancock who grew up between the Hopi and Navajo reservations will be there along with PRCA NFR 8 time qualifier Jesse Bail who has been a speaker and guest at the Indian Agricultural meetings that are held during the NFR.
In a way this is close to a homecoming for CBR President and 4X World Champion Tuff Hedeman. Tuff and his brother Roach spent many of their formative years riding at events held in Gallup; and they are not strangers to the Navajo Nation. Tuff, Roach and their mother Clarissa were all close with Dr. Jackson and his family; and I expect Clarissa to make it to this event. Tuff’s mother, who spends her free time making dance regalia for Navajo dancers (including their roaches) prides herself on never having missed Gathering of Nations. She has instilled a love of heritage in all of her children.
Tickets are now on sale at the Arena Box Office, Bashas in Window Rock and Navajo Arts and Crafts Enterprises also in Window Rock. This should be a great event to attend and I sure wish I was not afraid to fly or I would be on a plane out to it.
Red Wilk CBR Bull Bash
On August 29 & 30th the CBR invaded Huron, S.D. for the annual Red Wilk CBR Bull Bash at the State Fair. The dirt flew and so did many riders as the bulls who were some of the rankest in the land kept the qualified rides to a minimum on Wednesday night. Out of 41 rides there were only 11 riders who made it to the buzzer in the long go and only 4 rides in the short go. Bonner Bolton took an early lead with his 86-point ride aboard Harlan Robertson’s Scorpion. Layne McCasland returned from the injured list only to face Rich Bumbaca’s Rockin’ Robby who got the best of Layne.
J.W.Harris scored 86.5 to go ahead of Bonner with his ride on RS’ Lil Agent. Cooper Kangiesser rode RS’ Chico for 85.5 to tie with Dusty Gailey on Rock N Red. Round three was all bulls as the well-known Berger/Ryken Bowtech’s Vertical Force, several RS Bulls and friends blanked the riders. In round four Reese Cates scored 84.5 aboard Lacey and John Berger’s Untouchable while Jarrod Craig rode a bull whose name I love, Norman’s Nightmare for 85.I can’t wait to see that bull in person as I was always told I was Norman’s (my husband) real nightmare! Steve Woolsey made a great ride on the Berger/Ryken bull White Shadow for 87.5 to take over the lead. Jason Hunsaker rode the Berger/Ryken/Loe bull The Godfather for 87.5 to tie with Steve Woolsey while Will French rode Berger’s Pappy Jack for 82 points. Jody Newberry was the last to ride and he scored 77.5 on Kamo Kat.
Then it was on to an even more exciting short go as Bonner Bolton made a great ride aboard Robertson/Wilson’s World Champion bull Biloxi Blues for 91.5.Bonner maintained complete control and rode the great bull jump for jump. I am really looking forward to seeing the recap of this event on The Outdoor Channel. The ride gave Bonner 177.5 on two head and the night’s win.
Dusty Gailey, who was fifth in the round rode Berger/Ryken’s Danny Boy for 86 points giving him 171.5 on two head; and a third place finish for the night. Jarrod Craig rode Rich Bumbaca’s Auger for 88 giving him 173 on two. Jarrod was second in the round and second in the night’s event. Cole Echols and Chance Smart tied for 3rd and 4th in the round at 86.5. Cole who rode Bumbaca’s Easy Street was one of the riders drawn back and had no score in the long go. This was the case with Chance Smart also.
The night’s event of the 30th began in much the same way as top riders as Clayton Williams hit the dirt early. In the first round of the long go there was one qualified ride which was John Jacobs aboard Harlan Robertson’s Scorpion for 86.5.Harlan’s bulls were a handful and the next qualified ride was not till the middle of the second round. Douglas Duncan tied with Jacobs as hemad an 86.5 ride aboard Rich Bumbaca’s Give It Away. They remained in the lead till “Cody Sundby rode Bumbaca’s White Russian for 88 points to top the leaderboard. Paul Weinberger rode Bumbaca’s Mr. X for 84.5 and Sam Smith rode Bumbaca’s Double XL for 81.Hmm, I wonder if Rich is a fan of country music with all the bulls that are popping up named after recent hits.
Rounds three and four had bulls from various factions of the Berger family and I am not familiar with some of the new abbreviations being used beginning with the letter Y. In round three Ross Lewis scored 80.5 aboard the Chad and Lacey Berger’s Lucky while Brandon Edwards scored 84.5 aboard Berger/Ryken’s Kamo Kat. Corey Davis was next with 85 points aboard Berger/Ryken/Loe’s The Godfather. Jay Morrow ended round three with 86 points aboard Berger/Ryken’s Rex’s Rampage.
In round four Danell Tipton made a great ride aboard Lacey and John Berger’s Turbo for 89 points and the lead. Seth Reynolds scored 83.5 aboard Lacey and John Berger’s Rock On while Paul Hernandez scored 74.5 aboard Y5’s Mellow Yellow. Three riders (Garrett Vig, Shawn Coleman and Chad Castillo) were drawn back for the short go. Cody Sundby scored 87.5 as he rode Harlan Robertson’s Bad Action to take the lead in the short go and the night’s event with 175.5 on two head, which put him in second place behind event winner Bonner Bolton. John Jacobs rode Gold Bell Wine for 86, which gave him 172.5 on two placing him in second place for the night and fourth for the event which is figured on cumulative points from both night’s events. Seth Reynolds’s scored 87.5 aboard Harlan Robertson’s Bad Bubba and had 171 on two head to finish 6th in the event. I wonder if this is that same bad Bubba Terry Williams raised. That bull would get you even at feeding time! The top ride in the short go was a great 90-point ride by Ross Lewis aboard the Robertson’s World Champion bull Biloxi Blues for 90 points. That gave Lewis 170.5 and seventh place in the event. Danell Tipton’s 89 points in the long go held out for 8th place in the event. There were some injuries during the two-night event. Curtis Semans of Ravendon, Arkansas was stepped on as he came down right out of the chute. He suffered an inner thigh laceration requiring stitches He was sent to the hospital where he underwent surgery on his thigh. He was released the following morning and made itback to the event as a spectator but will be out of competition for 6-8 weeks. Steve Woolsey was stepped on in the short go and received a cut on the back of his right leg, which was treated. Sam Smith (Sulphur Springs, Texas) was KO’d for a minute when his head and Robertson’s Powder Burn’s head collided in the short go. Sam was on the way to a 90+ ride when the bull whipped him down over his head. Sam avoided serious head injuries thanks to the helmet he was wearing. He was treated by the Sports Medicine team and released. Chad Castillo (Liapn, Texas) had a left eye contusion and over the eye laceration when he was hit by the bull’s horn. He was sutured in the sports medicine room and should be at Window Rock. Ronny Kitchens suffered a broken free arm wrist at one of the many open bull-riding events he has been competing at but planned to make it to Window Rock. Cooper Kangiesser won’t make it though as he doctor released from it after suffering an elbow injury at the PRCA’s Xtreme event at Ellensburg, Washington.Cooper and his wife are the proud parents of a new baby boy. Congratulations to them and also to our friend Cody Hancock and his beautiful wife Rhinda who are expecting another baby girl any time now.
CBR /PRCA rider Tag Elliott underwent a second surgery on Sept 6th.Tag was severely injured on July 24th at The Days of 47 rodeo in Salt Lake City. Tag’s family sent a beautiful thank you letter to the CBR for their help with the benefit auction that Double Diamond Auctions put on to raise money for Tag’s expenses. Please keep the plucky 19 year old in your prayers. Sonny Murphy who broke his neck at the NFR expects to be back in action at Window Rock.Zack Brown who is leading the pack here at the CBR is out of action for four or more weeks due to a knee injury. Lucas Dick and Bryan Richardson are taking time off due to hand injuries that just won’t seem to go away.
I don’t know if it was the same horse that threw his dad, CBR President and 4X World Champion Bull Rider Tuff Hedeman, but Trevor Hedeman had a bad wreck while at a roping event in Ft.Worth.Trevor, Tuff’s younger son, suffered a broken leg when his horse flipped over on him.Dr.Tandy Freeman treated Trevor who is in a cast/brace combo and presently will not need surgery. OK, Tuff, if that’s the same horse who threw you maybe you need to come out here and get Widowmaker for Trevor. He’s still here.
According to Cicily Cross in her Crossroads column Terry Williams is back to working cattle on horse back around his ranch. He has done A-1 since his liver transplant and it makes all of us here very happy, as Terry is well loved by all. Window Rock is the first CBR event Terry has attended and he plans to make all the rest. I hope to go to the Lake Charles or Bossier City, LA. Event and I can’t wait to see everyone. Rumor has it PRCA World Champion and 2006 CBR World Champion Matt Austin will be returning to action at Lake Charles.
The CBR event at The Navajo Nation Fair in Window Rock, Arizona is now in the record books; and it was Navajo Nation Bull riding Champion Spud Jones who won the event. The 18 year old was fourth in the long go with 86 points aboard Martin Baca’s Speedy Gonzales; placing fourth in the round. He made a great ride in the short go aboard Alan Murphy’s Smokin Joe for 91 points and you know his fans were cheering loudly. He’s the pride of the Navajo Nation and we are hoping he has many successful years ahead of him. He had a total of 177 on the two head to win the event and $10,000.
Tuff Hedeman has coached many young riders on the reservation; and he always tries to get the Indian riders involved in both the CBR and PRCA. Spud, with this one win has jumped to 16th place in the CBR standings. I hope he makes it to their Finals in January.
In round one of the long go Reese Cates scored 84 aboard Harlan Robertson’s Bad Wine but was quickly eclipsed in the lead by Wesley Silcox who made a great ride aboard Robertson’s Little Wicked for 89 points. Wesley finished second in the long go while Reese was eighth.
Cole Echols rode Robertson’s Scorpion for 85 points to end up in fifth place in the long go. It has been good to see Clayton Williams back riding in the CBR.He scored 81.5 aboard Harlan Robertson’s Wildside.
In round two Lee Woolsey rode Owen Washburn’s Black Sheep for 84 to tie for 6/7/8 in the round while Jake Littlefield rode Washburn’s Rhythm and Blues for 82.5. John Jacobs rode Mike Johnson’s Cat Daddy for 84 points and was the third rider in the tie. Ross Johnson, like Clayton makes the CBR events when he can. Owen Washburn’s MJ got the best of Ross. I remember when Ross proudly told me of his heritage adding that his wife is of Choctaw descent Riders freely open up now where years back they were afraid to admit to their roots.
Danny McDowell rode Mike Johnson’s All Jacked Up for 83 points while Shawn Coleman rode Six Pac To Go for the same score. And here we go again with song title names
In round three, Johnson’s Ridin Dirty blanked fan favorite and PRCA World Champion Cody Hancock while his Hi-Jack blanked another fan favorite and NFR contender Jesse Bail.
Caspar Baca brought some of his great bulls and they were sending cowboys flying off till Kenny Westrope rode Caspar’s Pepe Le Pew for 89 points to end up third in the long go. Corey Davis rode Baca’s Allen for 79 points.
I have always been a fan of the Baca bulls and also Robbie and Chad Herrington’s bulls. I wish I could have been to Window Rock but I had to stay local for my own bulls. The Herrington bulls blanked all of their riders including Steve Woolsey and Huron winner Bonner Bolton who was last year’s winner in Window Rock. The only two qualified rides in the fourth round were Sonny Murphy’s 89.5 ride aboard Alan Murphy’s Mr. Incredible to win the long go; and also Spud Jones’ 86-point ride as already noted.
The action was hot and heavy in the short go. Jesse Bail and Travis Sellers were drawn back for the round but Harlan Robertson’s Livewire and Mike Johnson’s Legally Blonde eliminated them. Clayton Williams made a good ride aboard Alan Murphy’s Rocky for 88 points, which gave him 169.5 on two and an early lead. Clay finished 6th in the event. Jay Dunford made a great 92-point ride aboard Harlan Robertson’s Bad Action to finish fourth in the event with 174 points. As he took the lead the fans were on the edge of their seats. Caspar Baca’s bulls blanked their riders before we got more members for The American War Heroes Club (90 point and 90 + rides). The nail biting actionheated up with Reese Cates 91 point ride aboard Owen Washburn and 5 Ladies’ Ladies Choice. Reese was third in the event with 175 on two head. He was followed by another good ride as John Jacobs rode Harlan Robertson’s World Champion bull Biloxi Blues for 89 points, which gave him a total of 173 and fifth place in the event. The excitement grew as Cole Echols rode Robertson’s Stand Off for 91 points to finish in second place with 176 points. Then came Spud Jones’ 91 point ride aboard Alan Murphy’s Smokin Joe which gave Spud the win with 177 points; and gave him a shot at the CBR Finals as he jumped from #41 in the standings to #15. Harlan Robertson’s Powder Burn blanked Sonny Murphy while Alan Murphy’s Mellow Yellow got the best of Kenny Westrope to end the nail biting round. I love all the CBR events but especially love those that are on Rez.Thanks to the entire CBR staff for their work to bring good, affordable events to all of our people.
The CBR heads to Lake Charles, Louisiana on Sept 22nd.That is always a fun event. Lake Charles is a great place to visit and don’t forget to stop at the Coushatta Reservation on your way to Lake Charles. If we are not bucking our bulls locally that weekend; and if I can get my traveling partner and photographer, country music’s Teri Lann on the road we just might see everyone there.
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